HUE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ------------ NGUYEN HO BAO TRAN AN INVESTIGATION INTO TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICE OF SCAFFOLDING IN TEACHING EFL STUDENTS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION AT HIGH SCHOOLS IN THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, University of Foreign Languages and International Studies, Hue University THUA THIEN HUE, 2023 HUE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ------------ NGUYEN HO BAO TRAN AN INVESTIGATION INTO TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICE OF SCAFFOLDING IN TEACHING EFL STUDENTS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION AT HIGH SCHOOLS IN THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING CODE: 8140111 SUPERVISOR: DR. NGUYEN HO HOANG THUY THUA THIEN HUE, 2023 ĐẠI HỌC HUẾ TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ ------------ NGUYỄN HỒ BẢO TRÂN NGHIÊN CỨU VỀ NHẬN THỨC VÀ THỰC TRẠNG SỬ DỤNG HOẠT ĐỘNG HỖ TRỢ HỌC TẬP CỦA GIÁO VIÊN KHI GIẢNG DẠY KỸ NĂNG NGHE HIỂU TIẾNG ANH TẠI CÁC TRƯỜNG THPT Ở TỈNH THỪA THIÊN HUẾ LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ LÝ LUẬN VÀ PHƯƠNG PHÁP DẠY HỌC BỘ MÔN TIẾNG ANH MÃ SỐ: 8140111 NGƯỜI HƯỚNG DẪN KHOA HỌC: TS. NGUYỄN HỒ HOÀNG THUỶ THỪA THIÊN HUẾ, 2023 STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted for a degree in any university. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, my thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself.
Signed: Date: … / … / 2023 i ABSTRACT This research investigated how EFL teachers at high schools in Thua Thien Hue province perceived scaffolding for improving listening comprehension and how they applied these scaffolding strategies in actual classrooms. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach to explore the views and practices of EFL teachers in Thua Thien Hue high schools. The study's methodology included three primary data collection methods: questionnaires, classroom observations, and interviews. The research involved 48 EFL teachers from eight high schools in Thua Thien Hue province, selected through random sampling.
Additionally, six of these teachers allowed classroom observations and follow-up interviews. The findings highlighted that EFL teachers highly valued scaffolding as it simplified the listening process, enhanced engagement, and boosted listening skills. Scaffolding was seen as an effective way to reduce students' anxiety during listening activities by breaking tasks into manageable parts. In terms of practical implementation, teachers frequently used various scaffolding strategies, such as explaining new terms, task repetition, and efficient use of wait time.
However, differences between self-reported practices and classroom observations suggested areas for improvement and emphasized the need for additional training to enhance the effective use of scaffolding strategies. This research has important implications for EFL educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers. It offers insights into effective teaching practices for improving listening skills and underscores the importance of scaffolding, especially in mixed- ability classrooms. It also highlights the necessity of teacher training to address implementation challenges.
Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of scaffolding strategies in teaching listening comprehension in EFL contexts, potentially leading to improved teaching methods and learning materials in the context of high schools in Vietnam. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my deep gratitude to the individuals who have been pivotal in guiding and encouraging me throughout the process of completing this MA thesis. Their support and contributions have been invaluable, and I extend my heartfelt appreciation to each of them. First and foremost, I am profoundly grateful to my thesis advisor, Dr.
Nguyen Ho Hoang Thuy. Her scholarly expertise, wise guidance, and unwavering assistance have been the cornerstones of this research journey. The discussions with her and her constructive feedback have not only deepened my insights into the research but have also significantly improved my research skills. Without her steadfast support, this research would not have come to fruition.
I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the teachers who generously participated in this study.